Sobriety and S.A.D (Seasonal Affective Disorder)

Life in Recovery
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I have experienced “winter blues” to a greater or lesser degree every year, for as long as I can remember. Some years the symptoms weren’t bad, hardly noticeable, while others were soul crushing where I actually had fleeting thoughts of self-selecting out of continued existence. In exercising self-awareness, I identified patterns and through trial and error, some coping strategies. I’d like to share these for those facing their first sober winter to help you navigate and mitigate these challenges. Staying sober with all the holiday stress is tough enough. Throw some winter depression on top and you might be tempted to relapse.

Mindfulness is key. Understand that it’s natural for our energy levels to drop during shorter days, and colder temps. We want to sleep more, have a harder time waking up, and crave sugary or starchy foods. Those with SAD just experience this with greater intensity. Fight the temptation to “cocoon”. Exercise, even when you don’t initially feel like it. Try to cut down on sugar and starches, and fill up on leafy greens, or spouted seeds. Spend as much time as you can near sunny windows or better yet, take a walk in the sunshine. Consider a vitamin D supplement and vitamin C as well.

Something that really helped me (besides martial arts…) is our local indoor pool/rec center. Ours has floor to ceiling windows for max sunlight, and they keep it warm an humid inside. An afternoon spent there can pull me out of the deepest funk.

You might find your patience tested by those who find major joy in the holidays. Give them some grace…they don’t understand what you’re fighting. Participate as much as you are able. Believe it or not, engaging with friends and family can alleviate your symptoms for a time, while isolation can exacerbate the SAD.

And be mindful of what you put in your head. Negative news only makes things worse. Read, listen to and watch as much positivity as you can.

And whatever your addiction, don’t think for a minute that picking up will make things better. I know. I tried to drink my way out of it too many times, and it only made things worse. These past 4.5 sober winters have been much better than all the ones where I drank.

If you are feeling the fall funk or winter blues, know you aren’t alone. Together, we can pull through whole and healthy, to greet next spring with joy, and no regrets.

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This is such a great post. Thanks for spreading your wisdom with us as always!

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This is such a helpful post!! I lived up north for most of my life and SAD was definitely a fact of life for me and was exacerbated by my drinking. I found the use of a ‘bright light’ quite helpful…whether that was a placebo or not…I felt it assisted in lightening what felt like a gray blanket with the lack of natural light. Enjoying the clear sparkling (not so frequent) bright light days outside also helped me.

Thanks for such practical suggestions…for winter and beyond!

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Thank you so much for this hopeful and warm post. It’s what I needed to read today :pray:

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Thank you, lots of information i needed to read in here.

How i am feeling atm this stuck out to me in something that can help right now this evening and moving forward.

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Thanks all. I felt compelled to post this as I am feeling the SAD onset earlier than usual this year. Not really sure why this is, and this in and of itself doesn’t mean anything in regards to potential severity. I figured if I’m feeling it coming on, others just might feel it also.

I acknowledge that its happening, and I am executing my healthy coping strategies with the confidence that I have been through this many times, and will get through this again, and I can do things to make it more manageable.

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Thanks for your share to point this out. Good to know not to be alone in this and let the feelings in when they arise and not fight them. I’m fine now, but unconsciously things might already be moving. Most of my treatments started between end December and middle of February :thinking:

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Saw this on IG and it made me think of this thread. When I get SAD I like to grant myself some extra days of compassion. Winter is meant to be a time of rest and storing energy. I look to nature that is sleeping under a blanket of snow and I don’t feel guilty for wanting to do the same - to sleep. It’s a balance of taking care of yourself, getting in physical activity and healthy foods, as well as getting cozy under a blanket with a warm mug of tea and going to bed ridiculously early.

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I’m feeiling the S.A.D. pretty hard this year.

The weather sucks, always wet. It’s seemingly forever dark here. My wife lost her job. My boss put in his notice 2 days ago, and the upper management is in flux (CEO was fired and the board is looking for new one). A lot of uncertainty as we play “business as usual”, but we know it’s not usual.

All of this, is what I mean when I say you really don’t have control of your life, you move to the will of the universe. You can only make decisions that influence your direction, but you cannot chose your direction outright.

Learning to accept this fact does alleviate some of the stress and pressure. If only I could learn accept it fully. :pensive:

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Depression is a lying asshole. S.A.D. Is worse because it pops up around a season that is supposed to feel joyful. S.A.D. is depressions lying asshole cousin in a Santa hat.

I have no advice other than find your way through. The only thing worse (IMO) than finally admitting you are struggling to people is to have them say “have you tried…”

Vitamins
Exercise
Charitable giving
Therapy
Cold showers
Hot showers
Standing on your head
Not spending so much time standing on your head.
No seriously, who told you to stand on your head?

The world needs Hoof! We need you to sit in it and then to make it through. You honestly have lots of reasons to feel down right now. Your life is challenging. I’m sorry you are down but I believe in you. If you need me to kick someone (as long as they are at least ill-tempered) I will do that for you.

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Oh I needed that laugh badly, Emilie! You’re a funny one. @HoofHearted Dan, I was feeling pretty down this morning and had to shake things up. I put on some music I love real loud and played tug with my dog. Sometimes we really need to change our routine and force some lively feelings. It seems to work for me, even if it’s temporary, it can really help. Throw a dance party for your family! This too shall pass, as they say.

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Thanks my Dude. You always know the right things to say.

Now excuse me, gotta go stand on my head, for… reasons.

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Honestly I said I wouldn’t give advice but getting out into it is working for me. A snowsuit zipped to my chin (like old school 80s puffy snowsuit) is my happy place this winter.

:notes:"Walking in a puffy overcoat…":notes:
To be sung to the tune of Beethoven’s 5th :stuck_out_tongue_winking_eye::wink:

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Feel better too Rosa. Covid is no joke. I’m sorry it found you. :stew::ramen::teapot:

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This is the best advice and I’ve been living this since I moved back to the Midwest. Get out in it no matter how shitty it may seem. It really makes me feel alive. It helps I have the motivation of a dog that will only dookie on a walk, won’t even go in the yard if she can help it. It has helped me gain appreciation for being out in the elements when I need to be.

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This post is great timing for me. I never thought about SAD, especially as I moved south so compared to my childhood I have a lot more light hours in winter (in Northern hemisphere). But I know I felt really bad about various things last year, and I feel bad again. Some of it is of course event related, seeing others have a great festive time, when I am struggling with my distant family (literal and metaphorical), perceived lack of friends, and the end of term / coming spring break, that has its own pressures. But maybe some of it is weather or light related too?

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We got rid of one of our cars so someone in my house walks to work everyday, usually me since I’m only 1/2 a mile from work. There is something lovely about braving the elements no matter what to get done what you need to get done.
Remind me that I said this in February.

I’ve always wanted a dog for that reason. They get you outside.

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Thank you for this excellent advice. A dear friend in my program struggles with SAD. I will share your insights with her @Yoda-Stevie . No surprise I just got off the phone with her. That’s just how this shit works often. One of her coping skills is to reach out to friends. Thanks my friend!

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You can’t control when and where the wind blows. You can only set your own sails and keep ahold of your own tiller, so your bow is always pointed in the general direction you wish to go.

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